Caribou Gear

What state to build points

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midwesthunter

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While I am 36 and have zero points for any of the big three. I would love to hunt one someday but not sure if it would be worth starting to build points? Now I have a son who will turn 12 this year and be able to start building points in some of the states. I would love for him to have some opportunities I did not. I know WY system really well, but am starting to learn the other states. Is there a state I should be looking at for my son?

For WY the best mountain goat odds were 1.8% chance last year and moose you are in that 15-20 year wait and that if point creep doesn't change. So with current WY point/tag cost. in 20 years you would have spent 5K on points and tag.

I can't afford to apply for sheep goat, moose in all the states for him, so was thinking about the ones that we could just build points in. Any suggestions?
 
Idaho has your best odds. If I were starting over in the point game, I'd pick Colorado. Have a chance every year (after a few years) with chances increasing each year. Though I'm late to the game, I will probably start applying there this year myself.
 
I looked into it a few years ago as well, and, at 30 years old, realized that building points for any of those species was a waste of time at my age. I don't regret that decision for a second. I was lucky enough to take part in 2 moose hunts here in Minnesota when they still had the season. If I wanted to moose hunt again I'd apply to Idaho or do a self-guided hunt in Ontario. Goat and sheep just aren't going to happen for me and I've learned to live with that fact.

As for your son, the only way he'll hunt them is if you start him on points right now. By the time he's 20 he'll be too old to outlive others in his point pool. Odds will only get worse as states cut nonresident quotas and fees will only get more expensive, though, so it will be a financial commitment for you and him if he wants a chance to do it.
 
And this is why point systems suck. Sure benefitted someone awhile ago. Now we are right back to the ole supply meeting the demand problem.
 
For Moose I would just save and try to go to Newfoundland I have seen moose hunts for 6k there. If you have the money, then you can wait for cancellations and pay a little less for the hunt.

For Idaho, it is a $150ish license every year with a ~20 App Fee and a ~2,000 tag fee up front. The Tags are also limited to up to 10%, so if there are ten tags only one can be an NR. There are some units in Idaho that have really good draw odds and if you have horses, they could be a good deal to at least attempt.

AggieOutlaw said:
And this is why point systems suck. Sure benefitted someone awhile ago. Now we are right back to the ole supply meeting the demand problem.
Click to expand...

Which does not change with a lotto system. There are still too many hunters that want to hunt them for the tags available.
 
TheDudeAbides said:
Which does not change with a lotto system. There are still too many hunters that want to hunt them for the tags available.
Click to expand...

Except with a true lotto system EVERYONE has a chance to draw a tag of a lifetime, not just those born at the right time or those lucky enough to have parents who start buying them points when they’re still in elementary school.
 
NoWiser said:
If I wanted to moose hunt again I'd apply to Idaho or do a self-guided hunt in Ontario.
Click to expand...
Correct me if I'm wrong but to hunt any province of Canada for Moose as a nonresident alien you have to have a guide, family member who is a resident or friend who is a resident accompany?
 
wllm1313 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but to hunt any province of Canada for Moose as a nonresident alien you have to have a guide, family member who is a resident or friend who is a resident accompany?
Click to expand...

In Ontario you need to go through an outfitter, but many offer self-guided hunts.
 
I honestly don't know if any state is worth it for you. MAYBE Colorado. Unless they change their system this year where you don't have to front the tag fee which is what is sounds like is going to happen. That will crush draw odds. Even Idaho is questionable. Yea it's a straight up random draw but the odds are still very low for the money. I think your odds are just as good in some of the raffles.

Even if your son starts now in Wyoming, with point creep, he probably wouldn't draw moose until he has AT LEAST 30 points, unless he gets lucky in the random draw. He'll probably need more like 40+ points. And he'll have to pay the $150 a point each year. You'd be better off investing $150 a year for him to go to Canada or Alaska.
 
Well buddy, I started when I was 40, and now I sit with 13 points. When I started, I was told that would be enough to draw a good moose unit. To say that things have changed really doesn't describe the present situation. There are multiple factors contributing to the dread "point creep", but the last straw is Wyoming Fish and Game bending us all over with their price hike. Couple that with the rumor of pending changes to non - res. tag allocations, which will further constrict the supply, and you have a no - win suckers game. Hunting "out west" is not going to be economically sensible much longer, that is just fact. On your own adventures, yep, you're sure as hell on your own.
 
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